It was a fair presumption that they might well be 2016 models given their calendar-year 2015 street dates. But that would have gotten the new Shelby Mustangs out of the 50th anniversary celebration, and squandered an opportunity to deliver some highly collectible cars in the process.

So today, Ford made it official. A handful of Shelby GT350 models will make the 2015 model-year cut. They get unique VIN numbers and guaranteed scarcity. How scarce?

KGP Photography

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There will be 100 Shelby GT350s in model-year 2015, half equipped withg the track package, and half equipped with the tech package. Only 37 2015 Shelby GT350Rs will be produced—a nod to Carroll Shelby's original wish that for the 1965 GT350 racers, only 2 prototypes and 35 production cars would be made.

All of them will be instant collectibles, and many will be hidden away as investments, to be sure. If you want one to just joyfully kick the crap out of, just wait for the 2016s to start rolling out sans the artificial limited-production numbers.